


Feels Like Flying

by stardust_and_sunlight



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: F/F, Hogwarts AU, because unfortunately i will never not be trash, it's sappy because i'm soft okay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-11
Updated: 2020-04-11
Packaged: 2021-02-22 22:20:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23601265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardust_and_sunlight/pseuds/stardust_and_sunlight
Summary: Éponine had always loved to fly. She could spend hours and hours up in the air, flying high enough not to be seen.It was the only time she ever felt free.[Hogwarts AU, which is partially about Quidditch and partially just me being gay and loving eposette]
Relationships: Cosette Fauchelevent/Éponine Thénardier
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	Feels Like Flying

**Author's Note:**

> Me, posting three fics in less than a week? Is it the fact that we're in lockdown and all I'm doing is working and going on my government permitted single walk a day? Maybe.
> 
> This was mentioned in a tumblr post that I saw like three years ago and here we are.
> 
> Hope everyone's doing okay in this weird time!

Éponine had always loved to fly. For as long as she could remember, there'd been stolen brooms scattered around their house, piled up messily in corners, along with cauldrons and less innocent contraband. And for as long as she could remember, she would take a broomstick and go flying, fly far up into the sky, away from her mother’s snide comments and her father’s yelling and the constant stream of criminals coming in and out of their house, looking to buy and to sell. 

She would spend hours and hours, flying high enough not to be seen. 

It was the only time she ever felt free. 

And then she came to Hogwarts, and it was terrifying and amazing, and she was _allowed_ to fly. The school brooms were clunky and slow, with bent bristles and wonky handles, but she didn’t have to worry about being seen by Muggles or caught by her parents and it was _wonderful._

First years weren’t allowed on the Quidditch teams, but Éponine watched the games. She watched the Chasers with their tight strategy; watched the Beaters calling to each other; watched the Keeper shouting directions to everyone else; and then she gazed up at the Seeker, high above the noise of the crowds and the yelling of the teams, circling, scanning for the elusive Snitch. And she knew then she wanted to be a Seeker. 

Éponine didn’t make the team in second year- the seventh-year Seeker was brilliant- but she was allowed to go to all of their practices, listen to their tactics and their talks, and she made the team with ease in third year. 

****

“And it’s Hufflepuff’s Kenny with the Quaffle, soaring up the pitch, she dodges a Bludger and she takes a shot and OH a brilliant save by the Slytherin Keeper Cummings!”

Éponine smiled to herself, high above the action, flying lazy loops, eyes alert for the slightest hint of gold. 

It was 80-10 to Hufflepuff, their Chasers on top form, but Éponine wasn’t worried. The Hufflepuff Seeker was in fifth year, same as Éponine, but this was only her first year as Seeker and she was small and she looked kind and meek.

Éponine had seen her around of course, the school wasn’t that big, but she’d never really spoken to the other girl, who was short and pretty and always smiling. 

Her name was Cosette, and Éponine turned to find her in the sky, making sure she wasn’t drifting towards the ever moving Snitch. 

The other girl was hovering stationary about ten feet higher than Éponine, on the other side of the pitch, and when she caught Éponine’s glance she raised her hand in a wave. 

Éponine scowled instinctively, stony-faced, and the girl smirked, a distinctly un-Hufflepuff expression. Éponine blinked at her, and then there was a cheer from the Slytherin stands and she turned her attention back to the game.

“Lovely goal from Chaser Smith, putting the score at 90-40 to Hufflepuff.”

Éponine cursed under her breath. She’d been so focused on the other Seeker she hadn’t been paying attention to the game, or to the Snitch. She scanned the air quickly, and then she saw it, the gold, and she was moving. 

But Cosette had seen it too, and she was faster off the mark, throwing her broom into a deep dive. They were neck in neck, shoulder to shoulder, and Éponine forced her body against Cosette’s to push her away, but she pushed right back, and they were nearing the ground and the Snitch was right there and-

“And Thénardier has the Snitch! Slytherin win, 190 to 90.”

Éponine landed on the ground heavily, Snitch clutched in her sweaty hand, and Cosette landed next to her. 

Éponine was panting, adrenaline flooding her body, and she was grinning, the sheer happiness of flying overwhelming her. 

“Well done,” the other Seeker said, and she sounded sincere as she smiled at Éponine, before Éponine’s team were hugging her and she couldn’t see the Hufflepuff anymore. 

***

And that was the start. In the years following that first competition, Cosette and Éponine clashed heads in countless more games. The rotation of games meant that each team played each other three times in the House League, but there were always friendly games and throw-arounds and practices, and Cosette and Éponine were the best Seekers at the school.

Cosette would win one, and smile at Éponine gleefully before she was carried off in a sea of yellow. Éponine would win the next one, and Cosette would dip her head in congratulations before the Slytherins descended.

And even as they moved up the school and had more classes together, and studied and played together, still, when they were on that Quidditch pitch and the Snitch was there, all that Éponine wanted was to _win._ And she knew that Cosette wanted that too.

***

Éponine had pretty much always known she was into girls- basically since she was in second year, and Montparnasse had told her very seriously that he loved her, and her only reaction had been worry that she’d lose him as a friend when she turned him down.

She’d since dated a few girls, all casually, and she’d not been too cut up when any of them had broken up with her.

She was in seventh year now, and some of her friends were in serious long-term relationships, but she wasn’t too bothered. She also didn’t know what she wanted to do when she left Hogwarts, and that was more worrying, if she was honest. But she was trying not to focus on that, and instead she was concentrating on her studying and her coursework and as always, Quidditch.

It had been a close run thing this year. Slytherin had won one of their games against Hufflepuff and lost the other, and both teams had won all their other games. Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were scrapping for third place, and it was going to come down to the final game between Hufflepuff and Slytherin to see who would win the Quidditch Cup. Slytherin were the defending champions, having won the last four years with Éponine on the team, and Hufflepuff hadn’t won since Éponine’s first year. The stress of exams hadn’t quite set in yet, with over a month to go, but the tension was mounting with one week to go until the final Quidditch match of the year-and Éponine’s final match at the school.

And she would be up against Cosette, and it was going to be Cosette’s last game too, and Éponine could admit that Cosette was brilliant, which meant it was going to be a hard fought game from start to finish. And Éponine was determined.

***

The day of the game dawned bright and sunny. Éponine got up early, well-rested, and had a good breakfast, before saying goodbye to her friends and heading down to the pitch. Montparnasse was suspiciously absent, and Éponine could only hope that whatever prank he was planning wouldn’t mess too much with the game.

She flew a few laps of the pitch to get warm, and then, as her team began to filter down from the Great Hall, and then she joined them in the changing room, trying to suppress the first stirrings of anxiety.

Her team were waiting for her, talking quietly amongst each other, but they quieted when she entered, and she smiled at them- although she was sure it came out as more of a grimace, given that none of her team looked at all soothed. 

“Alright, listen up. It’s the last game of the year, folks, and it’s my last game ever for this school, but don’t let that stress you out. Just have fun. But also, let’s win this!

The team let out a cheer.

“Now get ready, and then we’ll talk tactics.” They dispersed, and Éponine pulled on her green and silver robes, brain whirring with plans and tactics.

The rest of the morning passed quickly, and before Éponine knew it, she could hear the crowd outside, and the distant sounds of the commentator.

“Let’s go!” Éponine said, and then they were grabbing their brooms, and walking out onto the pitch.

The Hufflepuffs were walking out from the adjacent locker room, and they all walked over to where Professor Simplice was standing, with the crate of ball and her whistle round her neck.

“Captains, shake hands!” she said, and Éponine and Cosette walked forward. Cosette looked perfectly put together as always, not a hair out of place, her yellow and black robes neat and her fingernails painted to match. She smiled as she shook Éponine’s hand, a strong, solid handshake.

“Good luck,” she said, and Éponine nodded.

“You too,” she replied, and she found that she even meant it. Everyone wanted the win today, but this game was important to Cosette as well, and she breathed Quidditch just as much as Éponine did.

“Everyone, into the air,” yelled Professor Simplice, and they all mounted their brooms and pushed off, Keepers to their posts and everyone else spreading out.

“3, 2, 1, and go!” And Professor Simplice kicked the crate open, releasing the Bludgers and the Snitch, and flung the Quaffle in the air, and then the game was on.

***

“Hufflepuff score! That takes them into the lead, 50-40.” Musichetta was commentating today, and usually she was hilarious on the podium, full of puns and jokes and gossip, as much as she could before a professor stopped her, but she seemed to have sensed the tension in this game, and was being uncharacteristically professional.

Everyone was very on edge, and even Éponine, who was usually never calmer and more free than when she was in the air, was feeling it.

She scanned the pitch, looked for the ever-elusive Snitch. Cosette was looping around as well, looking relaxed as she watched the frantic play below. Éponine consciously tried to release the tension in her shoulders.

A cheer rose up from the Slytherin stands as a goal went in, levelling the score again, and Éponine frowned.

The teams were very equal today, everyone playing at the top of their game, and Éponine thought it very likely that no matter how hard the rest of her team tried, the result of the game was going to come down to whoever caught the Snitch.

But that didn’t matter. That was usually the case anyway- Éponine loved the game, but she could admit it was a ridiculous scoring system, so often meaning that there was practically no point in the Chasers at all. She was used to being the deciding factor in the game, and she could do it.

There was another cheer from the crowd, but no commentary from Musichetta, and Éponine looked down, swearing under her breath when she saw the Montparnasse had stolen Musichetta’s mic. Chetta was sitting back, looking faintly amused, and Montparnasse had a small globe in his hand.

“Afternoon, everyone! Hope you’re having a good time!” Everyone cheered again, and Éponine rolled her eyes. Mont would be a great politician, with the ease that he got people listening. “I’m pleased to launch _this_!” And he threw the globe into the air with a flourish. It floated there, and Éponine found herself interested despite herself.

“It’s the kiss cam!” Montparnasse shouted, and a chorus of boos rang out. Montparnasse scowled. “Okay, I know it didn’t work last time, but this time, it will!” And he brandished his wand, sending the globe soaring through the air.

Éponine sighed. _It didn’t work_ was a bit of an under-statement. Montparnasse had tried this same thing before at the Halloween feast. Apparently, kiss cams were a thing in American Muggle sports game, where a camera focused on two people who then had to kiss, and Mont had thought it would be great if he could get the camera to focus on the two people who most wanted to kiss each other. Éponine agreed that it would cause a hilarious amount of drama, but his prototype had exploded in the Great Hall and set fire to the drapes, so she hoped fervently that he’d fixed the glitches now.

The globe soared through the air, and two screens materialised behind each of the goal posts, showing the view of whatever camera type thing was in the globe. Éponine grudgingly had to admit that she was impressed, but still, she was slightly irritated with Montparnasse for hijacking the game. All of the players had paused in mid-air, one of the Hufflepuff Chasers holding the Quaffle loosely, everyone watching the little globe and the huge screens.

“And now,” Montparnasse shouted, with the flair of a presenter, “the kiss cam will show the two people who most want to kiss each other!” And he cast a spell on the globe.

Éponine could see Professor Mabeuf trying futilely to wrest the microphone out of Mont’s hands, but it was too late. The globe was spinning wildly, and then, as everyone watched, it split in two. Obviously the two people who most wanted to kiss each other weren’t sitting next to each other. Each of the screens split their view as well, as each of the globes projected what they were seeing as they soared through the air, searching for their victims.

Eponinescoffed,watching as Professor Mabeuf finally got the microphone away from Montparnasse, handing it back to Musichetta and raising his wand to cancel the spell, but just then, the globes found their targets, and focused, and suddenly half of the screen was showing Éponine, hovering on her broom, looking bemused, and on the other half…

…was Cosette.

Éponine’s head whipped round to find Cosette, who was stationary, across the pitch, looking as shocked as Éponine did, looking gorgeous as always and… _oh._ The realisation hit Éponine like the Whomping Willow, but before she could move, or speak (to say what?), out of the corner of her eye, she saw a glint of gold, and her body moved on instinct, throwing her broom into a dive. She could see Cosette diving too, hear the crowd yelling, and she was bent down over her broom, urging it faster and faster, and Cosette was ahead, and the Snitch was there, and she was so close- and then Cosette had the Snitch in her hand as she landed heavily, thrusting her fist in the air and beaming with pride, flushed and happy and breathing heavily, and Éponine landed beside her.

“And Hufflepuff win! The game, and the league, for the first time in years, Hufflepuff have won!” Musichetta was yelling, her voice even through the microphone almost drowned out by the crowd, because the Hufflepuff stands were _screaming_ , and Cosette’s team mates were soaring down towards them, and Éponine’s too, but all Éponine could see was Cosette. They were standing very close together.

“Well done,” said Éponine softly, and Cosette smiled at her, fist still tightly clutching the Snitch. Éponine could see the freckles on her nose.

“You too,” Cosette said, and her voice was uncertain.

Éponine swallowed, and then plucked up her courage. “Can I kiss you?” she asked, voice shaking despite herself.

“Yes please,” Cosette said breathlessly, and then they were moving towards each other, and their lips met. Cosette’s lips were soft on Éponine’s, and Éponine could feel the smile beneath her own, and it didn’t matter that their teams were surrounding them, it didn’t matter that they were on the middle of the Quidditch pitch with the entire school watching, it didn’t matter that Slytherin had lost the game.

All that mattered was Cosette, and her soft lips, and the heat of her skin through her robes as Éponine wrapped her arms around Cosette to pull her closer, and Cosette’s hands were on Éponine shoulders and she’d dropped the Snitch and it flew away, but Éponine didn’t care.

Éponine surfaced to the sound of wolf-whistles and cheers. Cosette’s face was bright red and Éponine was sure her face was too, but she was smiling so widely she could feel the ache in her cheeks.

Cosette’s team were there suddenly, pulling Cosette away into their jubilant celebrations. Cosette sent an apologetic look back to Éponine as she moved away, still flushed and gorgeous, and Éponine smiled at her, turning back to her team.

There was disappointment in their eyes, but they also looked happy for her, and she grinned at them.

“Good game, folks, well tried, and it was a great season. You should all be proud, and next year you’ll just have to win it for me.” There was a chorus of laughter and congratulations, and then they started all walking back to the changing rooms, pushing at each other and joking around.

Éponine started walking as well, and then groaned when Montparnasse appeared beside her.

“Don’t say anything,” she warned, and he smiled smugly.

“I wouldn’t dare,” he smirked, and she smiled despite herself, too happy to stay angry at him.

“I see you sorted out all the glitches in your invention then,” Éponine said, deliberately looking away from Montparnasse. “Although I wish you hadn’t launched it at the goddamn final game.”

“I think that what you mean is _thank you,_ ” Montparnasse said, and Éponine could hear the laughter in his voice.

“Shut up,” Éponine muttered, but she had to admit he might have a point. The term was almost over, and she hadn’t even realised she _liked_ Cosette. And now, later she’d go see Cosette and they’d walk and talk and maybe kiss again. Who knows?

But just now, despite the loss and despite Mont’s teasing, she was happy. Almost like how she felt when she was flying.

**Author's Note:**

> I like writing Hogwarts AUs because while I hate JKR now, her world is still pretty good and AUs allow me to fix things I don't like about her world-building. For example, I find it ridiculous that they would train so much for Quidditch to then only have three games? Ridiculous. What's the point.
> 
> Also, I kinda wanted Courf or R to be the one doing this prank but I needed to it to be a Slytherin so Mont it is. I don'tl ike canon Montparnasse but fanon Mont is a gay loser disaster so that's okay.
> 
> You can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/holIyshort) \- come and say hi!


End file.
